1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for upgrading data used for operation of a system, and more particularly to a method for upgrading a processing system with new data and a new program by processing old data using a data version adapter, and the new program can then be implemented in the processor using the new data.
2. Background of the Related Art
A system is generally operated using a plurality of processors. As shown in FIG. 1, these processors normally include a program 12 and data 14 stored in a storage medium which is to be used by the program. Processor 10 operates the program and the data to perform a specific function. The program 12 and the data 14 are separately stored in a test field and a data field. The program 12 may be upgraded to improve or change a function of the system. In this case, a data structure of the program may be changed after upgrading the program. In other words, a data structure adapted to an upgraded new program may differ from a data structure before upgrading the program.
Meanwhile, an old program may be changed to a new program upgraded by uniform downloading. However, the data are not downloaded due to bulk size, and a method for upgrading data in which attributes of the data used in the old program are only changed is applied to the new program.
FIG. 2 illustrates a case where there is a change in the number of tables, attributes and records in a data structure after data has been upgraded. In the process of upgrading an old program which is operating in a processor, if the processor is operated by loading new data without changing a data structure of the old program (hereinafter, referred to as “old data structure”) which is operating in the processor before upgrading the program, the data structure of the new program differs from the data structure (old data structure) actually operating in the processor. This causes an error in the operation of the system.
To prevent system errors due to upgrading the program, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, old data 44 of an old program 42 operating in the processor is backed up into an external device 100 in step S31. Then, the structure of the backed up old data 44 is changed to adapt to a new program 42 which will be loaded into the processor, thereby generating new data 54 in steps S32 and S33.
The external device changes the structure of the old data 44 to generate the new data 54. Also, the external device stores the new program 52 which will be loaded into the processor and loads the new program 52 and the new data 54 into the processor 50. In other words, the new data 54 and the new program 52 are loaded into the processor in step S34, so that the new program 52 is implemented in the new program 52 in step S35.
Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4, two processors, namely, an active processor 40 and a standby processor 50, may be provided in the system to stably operate the system. If two processors are provided in the system, the active processor which stores the old program 42 and the old data 44 backs up the old data 44 into the external device 100 of the system. The data structure is then changed to adapt to the new program 52 so that the new data 54 are generated. The data are upgraded in such a standby loading way that the generated new data 54 and the new program 52 are loaded into the processor 50.
A method for upgrading a program in case where two processors are provided will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. It is assumed that the processor 40 (or the processor A) is active and the processor 50 (or the processor B) is on standby.
According to this method, the old data 44 stored in the processor A is backed up into the external device 100 of the system and then the structure of the backed up old data 44 is changed to adapt to the new program 52 which will be loaded, thereby generating the new data 54 in steps S52 and S53. Both use the active processor and the standby processor, which are operating with the old program and the old data, is stopped in step S54. The new data 54 and the new program 52 are loaded into the standby processor B in step S55. Also, the processor A, which is active, is changed to a standby state, and at the same time the processor B which is on standby is changed to an active state in step S56. In step S57, it is determined whether the processor B into which the new program 52 and the new data 54 are loaded is normally operated.
If the processor B is normally operated, both processors are operated in step S58. Then, in step S59, the new program 52 and the new data 54 are copied from the processor B, which is active, to the processor A which is on standby.
However, if the processor B is not normally operated, the processor B is changed to a standby state and at the same time the processor A is changed to an active state in step S60. After the old program 42 stored in the processor A is implemented in step S61, both processors are operated to return to the state before upgrading the program and the data in step S62.
As described above, the conventional system upgrades data in such a way that the data operating in the active processor A of the system are backed up into the external device, so that the data structure may be changed to adapt to the new program and the changed new data and the new program may be loaded into the standby processor B. In this case, the following problems occur.
Since the operation of changing the data backed up into the external device of the system to the data structure adapted to the new program is performed by the processor off-line, much time is required. (Particularly, more problems occur in case of backed up data on an overseas line). Also, the management (adding/deleting) of data and elements of the system is limited for a time period (several hours˜several days) required to process the operating data to adapt to the new program by backup. In other words, the conventional method for upgrading software has problems in that it fails to add/delete the data and the elements of the system for a time period required to generate the new data off-line by backing up the operating data and thus it requires assistance of the off-line.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.